What is bruxism?
Bruxism refers to a condition where a patient clenches or grinds his or her teeth. When you clench your teeth, you end up putting unnecessary pressure on structures around the jaw. Over time, this can lead to temporomandibular joint (TMJ) problems, and severe loss of tooth structure.
If the cushioning cartilage in the TMJ slips out of position, it can result in lock jaw, pain, and a clicking or gyrating sound when you open/close your mouth. Damage to the TMJ can also change how the upper and lower teeth sit together.
Signs and symptoms of bruxism may include:
- Audible teeth grinding at night which may disturb the sleep of those around you
- Rhythmic contractions of the jaw muscles resulting in tired or tight jaw muscles
- Popping of the temporomandibular joint and a pain that feels like an earache
- Long-lasting pain in the face, jaw, or neck
- Increased tooth pain, damaged teeth, worn tooth enamel and broken dental fillings
- Dull headache starting in the temples
- Sleep disruption
TMJ dysfunction (TMD)
TMJ dysfunction (TMD) is when a patient suffers from one or more symptoms, which include unexplained facial pain, dizziness, headaches, and tinnitus. Treatment for TMJ disorders varies considerably, given different underlying causes and levels of discomfort.
Around 80 percent of all teeth grinding cases occur subconsciously, during sleep. The condition is linked to different contributing factors, some of which include stress, anxiety, earache, and insomnia. In cases where Bruxism affects people when they’re awake, clenching is more common than grinding.
Some children might grind their teeth because of alignment problems with their top and bottom teeth. Some others take to it as a response to pain from earaches and teething. Some children grind their teeth because of airway problems, which requires specialist management. However, many children outgrow the common causes associated with paediatric grinding.
Treatment
The treatment of Bruxism involves wearing a custom made occlusal splint which we make for you. Occlusal splints are also necessary for protecting teeth which have large fillings or crowns.
If you need services of an affordable child friendly dentist in Browns plains with a special interest in dental implants and wisdom teeth, don’t hesitate to call. Remember, this gap free dentist in Browns Plains bulk bills.